OBJECTIVETo explore the impact of IFN-γ + 874 polymorphisms on the outcome in HLA matched sibling HSCT.

METHODSWe used PCR-sequence-specific primer analysis (PCR-SSP) to analyze the polymorphisms of IFN-γ + 874 T/A in 80 recipient and donor pairs from October 2005 to March 2008.

RESULTSRecipients having donors who possessed IFN-γ + 874 A/A genotype had significantly earlier neutrophil recovery compared with those having donors with non-A/A genotype (15 (11 - 27) days vs 18 (12 - 30) days, P = 0.029). And IFN-γ + 874 A/A in both recipients and donors further facilitated neutrophil recovery compared with others (13 (11 - 25) days and 19 (12 - 31) days, P = 0.019). Besides, IFN-γ + 874 A/A in recipients increased the probability of grade II-IV acute graft versus disease (aGVHD) and cytomegalovirus viraemia compared with IFN-γ + 874 T/A or T/T genotype (20% vs 4% P = 0.041, 43.6% vs 16.0% P = 0.032), which lead to increased 5-year transplant-related mortality (TRM) (33.7% ± 6.8% vs 12.0% ± 6.5%, P = 0.050) and decreased 5-year event free survival (EFS) \[(58.2 ± 6.7)% vs (84.0 ± 7.3)%, P = 0.032\] compared with the latter. IFN-γ + 874 A/A in both recipients and donors also significantly increased the probability of grade II-IV aGVHD and cytomegalovirus viraemia compared with the other (21.7% vs 5.9%, P = 0.050; 45.7% vs 20.6%, P = 0.020), which caused increased 5-year TRM \[(31.6 ± 7.5)% vs (13.6 ± 6.5)%, P = 0.048\] and decreased 5-year EFS \[(56.8 ± 7.3)% vs (79.4 ± 6.9)%, P = 0.037\] compared with the other.

CONCLUSIONIn HLA-matched sibling HSCT setting, the presence of IFN-γ + 874 T allele in recipients or in both recipients and donors significantly decreased the risk of grade II-IV aGVHD and CMV infection and increased EFS. While IFN-γ + 874 A/A in donors or in both recipients and donors was associated with shorter duration to neutrophil recovery.